Author Archives: Science Media Centre
expert reaction to study looking at heart disease risk reduction of statins and other cholesterol-lowering methods
A review published in JAMA investigated the effect of statin and non-statin therapies on LDL cholesterol and cardiovascular risk, and reported that both statin and non-statin therapies (including diet, surgery and other drugs) can contribute to lower LDL-cholesterol and a reduction in heart disease risk. read more
expert reaction to reports of the first baby born (in Mexico) using the mitochondrial donation technique
A paper outline published online in the journal Fertility and Sterility and to be presented at the American Society for Reproductive Medicine conference in October reported what is thought to be the first baby born using mitochondrial donation techniques for the purpose of disease prevention. read more
expert reaction to announcement by the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative ‘to cure, prevent or manage all diseases by the end of the century’
Mark Zuckerberg (the founder of Facebook) and his wife Priscilla Chan have pledged $3bn over the next decade to fund medical research with the ultimate goal to “cure, prevent or manage all diseases by the end of the century”. read more
expert reaction to study of feeding allergenic foods to babies
Publishing in JAMA a group of scientists have reviewed the evidence around food allergies and report that early introduction of egg or peanut to the diet of infants was associated with lower risk of developing allergies to those foods. read more
expert reaction to the news that Emma Walmsley has been appointed CEO of GlaxoSmithKline
It has been announced that the new CEO of GlaxoSmithKline will be Emma Walmsley. read more
expert reaction to anxiety and cancer risk in men
Work presented at the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ECNP) conference has reported that men who suffer from anxiety are twice as likely to die from cancer as men who do not. read more
expert reaction to conference abstract (unpublished work) looking at whether excessive internet use may indicate mental health problems in college students
Unpublished work presented at the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology Congress (ECNP) has investigated possible associations between internet use and mental health issues in college students. read more
expert reaction to NSIDC announcing Arctic sea ice minimum for 2016
The US-based National Snow and Ice Data Center has reported that Arctic sea ice appears to have reached its minimum extent for this year which would mean a tie for second lowest in the satellite record. read more
expert reaction to news that the UK government has approved plans for Hinkley C nuclear power plant
Following a delay it has been announced that the UK government has approved plans for a new nuclear power plant at Hinkley Point in Somerset which will have financial input from France and China. read more
expert reaction to napping and diabetes – unpublished poster presentation
A poster presented at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) meeting has reported that taking naps of an hour or longer is associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes. read more
expert reaction to two studies reporting results on monitoring prostate cancer versus surgery or radiotherapy, and survival and cancer progression
Two studies published in the New England Journal of Medicine reported that in men with localised prostate cancer (that hadn’t spread) active monitoring was not significantly more dangerous than surgery or radiotherapy in terms of survival, and that surgery and radiotherapy reduce the risk of cancer progression compared with active monitoring but can also cause more unpleasant side-effects including sexual or bowel impairment. read more
expert reaction to new studies on vaping and quitting
A study published in the BMJ and a review published in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews have reported that e-cig use was associated with successful attempts at quitting smoking. read more
expert reaction to conference poster (unpublished work) on fatty acids and type 2 diabetes in women
A poster presented at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes conference has reported an association between consumption of a particular fatty acid and risk for type 2 diabetes in women. read more
expert reaction to conference talk (unpublished work) on genes, lifestyle and obesity
A presentation given at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes conference has examined genetic and environmental impacts on obesity. read more
expert reaction to paper describing development of embryos from non-egg cells
In a discovery that challenges two centuries of received biological wisdom, scientists at the University of Bath have for the first time used sperm to fertilise non-egg cells – resulting in live mammalian births. Eggs can be tricked into developing into an embryo without fertilisation, but the embryos, called parthenogenotes, die after a few days. Scientists at Bath have developed a method of injecting mouse parthenogenotes with sperm so that they can go on in many cases to become healthy pups. read more
making embryos from a non-egg cell
In a discovery that challenges two centuries of received biological wisdom, scientists at the University of Bath have for the first time used sperm to fertilise non-egg cells – resulting in live mammalian births. Eggs can be tricked into developing into an embryo without fertilisation, but the embryos, called parthenogenotes, die after a few days. Scientists at Bath have developed a method of injecting mouse parthenogenotes with sperm so that they can go on in many cases to become healthy pups. read more
expert comments about pneumonia, following reports that Hillary Clinton has been diagnosed with pneumonia
The US presidential candidate Hillary Clinton has reportedly been diagnosed with pneumonia, a condition which affects the lungs. read more
expert reaction to the Oxburgh report on Carbon Capture and Storage
A parliamentary advisory group has released a report advising on the importance of carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies. read more
expert reaction to results of the National Diet and Nutrition Survey (NDNS)
Public Health England and the Food Standards Agency have published the results of the National Diet and Nutrition Survey for 2012 to 2013 and 2013 to 2014. read more
expert reaction to study looking at antidepressant use and depression in children and teenagers
A paper published in the journal Psychological Medicine has reported an increase in antidepressant prescriptions in children and young people alongside a decrease in recorded depression diagnoses. read more